On This Day in History, March 12

 

On March 12, 1930, Mohandas Gandhi led 78 followers on a 241-mile march to the coastal town of Dandi in India in order to protest the British monopoly on salt.  Britain’s Salt Acts forbade Indians from collecting or selling salt, a staple in their diet due to the immense heat and humidity of the climate.  As a result, citizens of India were forced to buy salt from the British, who, besides monopolizing the manufacture and sale of salt, placed a heavy tax on it.

 
As the march progressed, Gandhi addressed large crowds along the way, more people joined the march.  When they reached Dandi on April 5,  tens of thousands of people marched to the seaside with Gandhi.  

 
Gandhi (October 2, 1869 to January 30, 1948) was the pre-eminent spiritual and political leader during India’s movement to gain independence from Great Britain.  He was a pioneer in mass civil disobedience in order to fight tyranny.

 
Gandhi’s plan was to work the salt flats on the beach, which became encrusted with sea salt at every high tide.  The police tried to stop Gandhi and the other marchers by crushing the sea salt into the mud, but Gandhi persevered by reaching down and picking up a piece of the muddy salt.  This simple act defied British law and the British retaliated by arresting 60,000 Indians.  

 
Ghandi, himself, was arrested on May 5, but the satyagraha (non-violent resistance) continued without him when 2,500 marchers went to the Dharasana Salt Works on May 21.  The marchers were confronted by hundreds of British-led Indian policemen who savagely beat the peaceful protesters.  The violence was reported by an American journalist prompting international outcries against Britain’s policy in India.

 
Finally, India gained its independence in August 1947.  Six months later, Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist. Gandhi officially known as the father of his country and his birthday is a national holiday.

 
If you would like to know more about Gandhi, the library has a number of items in the catalog, including a DVD of the movie Gandhi, made in 1982 and the winner of 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

 

"Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever."

       Mohandas Gandhi